This invention relates generally to air bag restraint systems for automotive vehicles and more particularly to a cover assembly for concealing an air bag restraint system in the automotive vehicle.
Air bag restraint systems in which an air bag inflates and deploys into the passenger compartment when the vehicle experiences a front impact of predetermined magnitude are well known. These systems generally employ an air bag for the vehicle driver that is usually housed in the vehicle steering wheel and may also employ an air bag for the front seat passengers that is housed in the vehicle instrument panel. In either case the air bag restraint system, is concealed behind a cover assembly that is opened upon deployment of the air bag. This cover assembly usually takes the form of a visible or invisible door arrangement that comprises at least one door or flap that is pivoted from a closed position to an open position for allowing deployment of the air bag into the passenger compartment. See for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,444 granted to Eric S. Nelson Oct. 13, 1992 for an Air Bag Retainer with Cutting Flaps. This patent discloses an invisible door arrangement that comprises two or four flaps that are pivoted open for deployment of the air bag.
Inflatable air bag restraint systems are also now being proposed for side impact crash protection. These systems generally employ inflatable air bags that are usually housed in the side doors of the automotive vehicle. See for instance U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,388 granted to Charles Y. Warner et al Oct. 30, 1990 for an inflatable restraint system for side impact crash protection.
Air bag restraint systems for side impact protection are also concealed behind a cover assembly that must be opened for air bag deployment. However, there is very little space between the side door of the vehicle and the flank of the vehicle passenger that is to be protected. Consequently, the cover assembly must be opened with a minimal protrusion into the passenger compartment.
As indicated above cover arrangements for the front impact protection typically comprise one, two or four doors or flaps that are pivoted open for deployment of the air bag. These cover arrangements are not satisfactory for air bag restraint systems that are housed in side doors of the vehicle because the open doors or flaps of the cover assembly protrude too far into the passenger compartment. This problem is demonstrated in the Warner '388 patent directed to inflatable structures for side impact crash protection which uses a cushioning door panel for the side door of the vehicle that has a hinged section which overlies the air bag. This hinged section is pushed into the seat occupant when the air bag is deployed as shown in FIG. 3 of the patent.
The protrusion problem is addressed by Warner et al in a later patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,732 granted Jul. 6, 1993. Here the entire cushioning panel for the side door of the vehicle breaks away. However, the cushioning panel is still pushed into the seat occupant when the air bag is deployed as shown in FIG. 17 of the Warner '732 patent.
The German Patent Application DE 41 19 788 published Jul. 23, 1992 addresses the protrusion problem in a different way by concealing the air bag in an arm rest. However, this solution is not satisfactory because the air bag is located in the lower portion of the door panel making it more difficult to protect the upper torso and head of the seat passenger.